Hydration
The most vital aspect of keeping healthy on the Kokoda Track is keeping hydrated. Excessive sweating from the physical exertion is the main source of loss of body fluids. These fluids can also be lost from the body by vomiting and diarrhoea from a bacteria or virus.
The big danger on the Kokoda Track is when these causes of dehydration work together. That is, a trekker who is slightly dehydrated from the excessive exercise may catch a vomiting bug that expels more fluids from the body and also prevents the body from absorbing fluids. This is a dangerous situation and can be fatal.
To prevent any chance of dehydration, you need to be continually taking in water. A hydration bladder with tube is best as you can sip during the trek. Water bottles are suitable, but you need to stop to take in the fluid and we have observed that trekkers do not drink water as often as they should if they have water bottles that require removing from the side pockets of their pack.
Dehydration
Dehydration can be one of the "big killers" on the Kokoda Track. There are two main ways that the body can be dehydrated:
To assist you in managing your hydration level, you will be given a urine chart that contains information on fluid intake, food intake, hand hygiene and a chart to help determine if you are hydrated. This small chart should be taken with you on the expedition. Aim to match your sweat rate with fluid intake as closely as possible and ensure that you drink at a rate that is comfortable.
The big danger on the Kokoda Track is when these causes of dehydration work together. That is, a trekker who is slightly dehydrated from the excessive exercise may catch a vomiting bug that expels more fluids from the body and also prevents the body from absorbing fluids. This is a dangerous situation and can be fatal.
To prevent any chance of dehydration, you need to be continually taking in water. A hydration bladder with tube is best as you can sip during the trek. Water bottles are suitable, but you need to stop to take in the fluid and we have observed that trekkers do not drink water as often as they should if they have water bottles that require removing from the side pockets of their pack.
Dehydration
Dehydration can be one of the "big killers" on the Kokoda Track. There are two main ways that the body can be dehydrated:
- Excess sweating from the high physical exertion levels and the inability to replace those fluids in the body. This could be from simply not drinking enough, or from the body not being able to absorb more liquids than the body is sweating out.
- A stomach bug that results in vomiting and diarrhoea. This can lead to problems by itself, but on top of slight dehydration from the excess exercise - it can be fatal.
To assist you in managing your hydration level, you will be given a urine chart that contains information on fluid intake, food intake, hand hygiene and a chart to help determine if you are hydrated. This small chart should be taken with you on the expedition. Aim to match your sweat rate with fluid intake as closely as possible and ensure that you drink at a rate that is comfortable.
Hyponatremia
Drinking way too much water can lead to a condition called hyponatremia. Hyponatremia can also result when sodium is lost from the body or when both sodium and fluid are lost from the body, for example, during prolonged sweating and severe vomiting or diarrhoea. Before you read on, our No Roads meals and snacks help you replace any lost sodium, our electrolyte replacement powder supplied for each day, the promotion of the use of hydration bladders which support constant sipping of water, all help to reduce the risk of hyponatremia.
Hyponatremia (severe sodium depletion) has symptoms similar to heat exhaustion and heat stroke and can easily be misdiagnosed. In hyponatremia, as sodium decreases in relation to water, water moves from the cardiovascular system into the intracellular space in the brain, which can result in cerebral edema followed by seizures, coma, and death. Symptoms of hyponatremia that differentiate it from heat exhaustion and heat stroke are decreased thirst, increased urine output and frequency of urination, clarity of urine, lack of poor skin turgor (tenting of the skin), and moist mucous membranes.
Trekkers with hyponatremia may have a significant decrease in level of consciousness, but will not have hot skin or a high core body temperature. Hyponatremia often occurs after the strenuous activity has ceased, while heat exhaustion and heat stroke occur during the activity. Treatment of hyponatremia in the wilderness includes rest, maintaining a stable core body temperature, withholding fluids, and increasing sodium intake (in conscious patients).
Replace Electrolytes When Trekking
Some sort of electrolyte replacement strategy should be used when trekking the Kokoda Track. This is to replace the body salts that are lost through sweating. No Roads Expeditions will supply you with electrolyte replacement powder. Care needs to be taken that not too much powder is added as the opposite effect can occur and can lead to dehydration.
Another solution is to take sachets of electrolyte powder (such as Hydralyte) that can be added to a cup of treated water at the end of each day. During the day straight sterilised water is drunk. The electrolyte powder sachets come in various flavours and can mean a nice flavoured drink at the end of the day’s hike. They are also less weight to carry.
Access to Water
Drinking water along the Kokoda Track is collected from a variety of water sources. Some of the creeks you pass through may be crystal clear and free flowing and safe to drink from. There are only a couple of locations during the trek where the water is considered unsuitable to drink and you will be advised of these. Some villages have good drinkable water supplies recently installed by AusAID‐funded projects.
Village guest houses will supply cooled boiled water for drinking, on request. If you get stuck at a camping site where there is no clean water available you can boil water on your campfire and cool it in your water container for the next day, use your Steripen or add water purification tablets.
In the drier months August to October, small creeks disappear so we suggest 2 or 3 litre water bladder packs so that you will have plenty of water on you.
Water Quality
Many trekkers are worried about the quality of the water available along the track and whether they need to use sterilising tablets and/or a Steripen etc.. In most places the water is good; however No Roads advises that you should always use some method of water purification/sterilisation. Even if you have a Steripen, we recommend you bring a small number of water purification tablets such as Aquatabs, which you can purchase from most chemists, camping or army disposals stores, just in case you are stuck somewhere with no clear water. Steripens are only effective in clear water.
Drinking way too much water can lead to a condition called hyponatremia. Hyponatremia can also result when sodium is lost from the body or when both sodium and fluid are lost from the body, for example, during prolonged sweating and severe vomiting or diarrhoea. Before you read on, our No Roads meals and snacks help you replace any lost sodium, our electrolyte replacement powder supplied for each day, the promotion of the use of hydration bladders which support constant sipping of water, all help to reduce the risk of hyponatremia.
Hyponatremia (severe sodium depletion) has symptoms similar to heat exhaustion and heat stroke and can easily be misdiagnosed. In hyponatremia, as sodium decreases in relation to water, water moves from the cardiovascular system into the intracellular space in the brain, which can result in cerebral edema followed by seizures, coma, and death. Symptoms of hyponatremia that differentiate it from heat exhaustion and heat stroke are decreased thirst, increased urine output and frequency of urination, clarity of urine, lack of poor skin turgor (tenting of the skin), and moist mucous membranes.
Trekkers with hyponatremia may have a significant decrease in level of consciousness, but will not have hot skin or a high core body temperature. Hyponatremia often occurs after the strenuous activity has ceased, while heat exhaustion and heat stroke occur during the activity. Treatment of hyponatremia in the wilderness includes rest, maintaining a stable core body temperature, withholding fluids, and increasing sodium intake (in conscious patients).
Replace Electrolytes When Trekking
Some sort of electrolyte replacement strategy should be used when trekking the Kokoda Track. This is to replace the body salts that are lost through sweating. No Roads Expeditions will supply you with electrolyte replacement powder. Care needs to be taken that not too much powder is added as the opposite effect can occur and can lead to dehydration.
Another solution is to take sachets of electrolyte powder (such as Hydralyte) that can be added to a cup of treated water at the end of each day. During the day straight sterilised water is drunk. The electrolyte powder sachets come in various flavours and can mean a nice flavoured drink at the end of the day’s hike. They are also less weight to carry.
Access to Water
Drinking water along the Kokoda Track is collected from a variety of water sources. Some of the creeks you pass through may be crystal clear and free flowing and safe to drink from. There are only a couple of locations during the trek where the water is considered unsuitable to drink and you will be advised of these. Some villages have good drinkable water supplies recently installed by AusAID‐funded projects.
Village guest houses will supply cooled boiled water for drinking, on request. If you get stuck at a camping site where there is no clean water available you can boil water on your campfire and cool it in your water container for the next day, use your Steripen or add water purification tablets.
In the drier months August to October, small creeks disappear so we suggest 2 or 3 litre water bladder packs so that you will have plenty of water on you.
Water Quality
Many trekkers are worried about the quality of the water available along the track and whether they need to use sterilising tablets and/or a Steripen etc.. In most places the water is good; however No Roads advises that you should always use some method of water purification/sterilisation. Even if you have a Steripen, we recommend you bring a small number of water purification tablets such as Aquatabs, which you can purchase from most chemists, camping or army disposals stores, just in case you are stuck somewhere with no clear water. Steripens are only effective in clear water.
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